Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah
Revive a Sunnah: “Oh Allāh, I ask from You guidance, piety, purity and sufficiency”


by Al-Istiqaamah Research And Translation

On the authority of ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (radi Allahu anhu) the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) would supplicate saying:
"اللهم إني أسألك الهدى والتقى والعفاف والغنى" 

 “Oh Allāh, I ask from You guidance, piety, purity and sufficiency”.
Allahumma inni as'alukal-huda wat- taqa wal-'afafa wal-ghina

Reported by Muslim

Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah
Revive a Sunnah: Most Often Recited Dua

This is one of the Duas that most Muslims recite daily in their prayers and outside their prayers. This Dua is not only mentioned in the Quran but Prophet Muhammad (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) advised us of the many merits of this Dua.
Ibn Al-Kathir also mentions in his tafsir that the Sunnah encourages us reciting this Dua (i.e., in the Ayah about gaining a good deed in this life and the Hereafter). 

Anas reported: The supplication most often recited by the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was:

اللهم آتنا في الدنيا حسنة، وفي الآخرة حسنة، وقنا عذاب النار


Allahumma atina fid-dunya hasanatan, wa fil-akhirati hasanatan, wa qina ‘adhab-annar

(O our Rubb! give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the punishment of the Fire)

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

In the narration of Muslim it is added that whenever Anas supplicated, he used to beseech Allah with this Du’a.

Dua for life and death

(O Allah, our Lord! Give us that which is good in this life, that which is good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire.)

The Quran states it in the following verse: And of them there are some who say: “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!” Quran: Surah Al-baqarah (201)  

Ibn Al-Kathir states that the supplication mentioned and praised in the verse includes all good aspects of this life and seeks refuge from all types of evil. The good of this life concerns every material request of well-being, spacious dwelling, pleasing mates, sufficient provision, beneficial knowledge, good profession or deeds, comfortable means of transportation and good praise, all of which the scholars of Tafsir have mentioned regarding this subject. All of these are but a part of the good that is sought in this life. As for the good of the Hereafter, the best of this includes acquiring Paradise, which also means acquiring safety from the greatest horror at the gathering place. It also refers to being questioned lightly and the other favors in the Hereafter.

As for acquiring safety from the Fire, it includes being directed to what leads to this good end in this world, such as avoiding the prohibitions, sins of all kinds and doubtful matters.

Al-Qasim bin `Abdur-Rahman said, “Whoever is gifted with a grateful heart, a remembering tongue and a patient body, will have been endowed with a good deed in this life, a good deed in the Hereafter and saved from the torment of the Fire.”

Imam Ahmad reported that Anas said, “Allah’s Messenger visited a Muslim man who had become as weak as a sick small bird. Allah’s Messenger (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said to him, `Were you asking or supplicating to Allah about something’ He said, `Yes. I used to say: O Allah! Whatever punishment you saved for me in the Hereafter, give it to me in this life.’ Allah’s Messenger (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: (All praise is due to Allah! You cannot bear it -or stand it-. You should have said: (Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!)) The man began reciting this Dua and he was cured.” [Sahih Muslim also recorded it.]

In conclusion, as mentioned by Al-Qasim bin `Abdur-Rahman above, let us strive to have a grateful heart, a remembering tongue and a patient body.

Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah
Revive a Sunnah: Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays; 3 Days every Month; and the Ayyam al Beed (13th, 14th and 15th of each month)

It was narrated that `Aishah (radi Allahu anha) said: “The Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was keen to fast on Mondays and Thursdays.” [Tirmidhi, 745; al-Nasaa’, 2361; Ibn Maajah, 1739; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1044]

The Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said: “On that day I was born, and on it the Revelation came to me.” [Muslim, 1162]

The Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) mentioned that: “The deeds of the worshipers are presented before Allah on Monday and Thursday, I like my deeds to be presented while I am fasting.” [Nasa’i]

It was narrated that Abu Dharr (radi Allahu anhu) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said to me: “If you fast any part of the month, then fast the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.” [Tirmidhi, 761; al-Nasaa’i, 2424; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1038]

It was narrated from Jareer ibn ‘Abd-Allah (radi Allahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Fasting three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime, and ayaam al-beed are the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.” [Nasaa’i, 2420; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1040]

Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) said: My close friend [the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam)] advised me to do three things which I will not give up until I die: fasting three days of each month, praying Duha and going to sleep after Witr." [Bukhari, 1124; Muslim, 721]

‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (radi Allahu anhu) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said to me: “It is sufficient for you to fast three days every month, because for every good deed you will have (the reward of) ten like it, so that will be like fasting for a lifetime.” [Bukhaari, 1874; Muslim, 1159]

1. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) said: "It is permissible to fast these days (i.e. the 3 days a month) one after the other or separately, and they may be at the beginning of the month, or in the middle, or at the end. The matter is broad in scope, praise be to Allah, because the Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) did not state any specific days. ‘Aa’ishah (radi Allahu anha) was asked: Did the Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) fast three days of each month? She said: Yes. It was asked: In which part of the month did he fast? She said: He would not bother in which part of the month he would fast. Narrated by Muslim, (1160). But the 13th, 14th and 15th are better, because these are al-ayyaam al-beed." [Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 10/#376]

Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah
Revive a Sunnah: It is Recommended to Fast a Great Deal in the Month of Sha’baan

Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a question.” I asked why do you fast in Sha’ban more than any other month? He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied saying; 'People are negligent between Rajab and Ramadan. During Sha’ ban the deeds are presented to the Lord of all the worlds. Therefore, I desire to be fasting when my deeds are lifted.”

(Collected by Ahmad; 5/200; An-Nisa’i, 2357; Al-Bayhaqee in Shub Al-Iman, 3820; and Ibn Abi Shaybah in his Musanaf, 9765. Al-Albani (may Allah grant him al Firdaus) and Muhammad Adam (may Allah preserve him) both graded this hadeeth as Hasan (see Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 2221)

1. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast the whole of Sha’baan. 

Ahmad (26022), Abu Dawood (2336), al-Nasaa’i (2175) and Ibn Maajah (1648) narrated that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fast two consecutive months apart from the fact that he used to join Sha’baan and Ramadaan.” 

According to a version narrated by Abu Dawood: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never used to fast any complete month in the year, apart from Sha’baan, which he used to join to Ramadaan.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2048. 

The apparent meaning of this hadeeth is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast the entire month of Sha’baan. 

2. It is also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast all of Sha’baan apart from a few days. 

Muslim (1156) narrated that Abu Salamah said: “I asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and she said: ‘He used to fast until we thought that he would always fast, then he would not fast until we thought that he would always not fast, but I never saw him fast in any month more than he fasted in Sha’baan. He used to fast all of Sha’baan, and he used to fast all of Sha’baan apart from a few days.’”

3. The scholars differed as to the way of reconciling between these hadeeths. 

Some of them said that this had to do with differences of time – in some years the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted all of Sha’baan, and in other years he fasted all of that month apart from a few days. This was the view favoured by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him). See Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 15/416. 

Others said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any month in full apart from Ramadaan, and they interpreted the hadeeth of Umm Salamah as meaning that he fasted all of Sha’baan apart from a few days. They said that this is possible from a linguistic point of view, that if a man fasts for most of a month it may be said that he fasted the whole month. 

And Allah knows best.